Pal games on Japanese NTSC Saturn

[shaddow085]

Hi  guys, there is something I want to double check.

Under normal circumstances I have no problem with using the original  japanese games for my saturn, but there are some more story driven games I want to experience in a language I can understand, so I wanna go for the NTSC U or the  Pal versions. As I live in  the pal region, pal games are  easier to come buy.

I did some research  in the internet already and it seems that some pal games might face some issues on a NTSC system, thanks the the 50 Hz/60 Hz difference and the only thing to remove the issue is putting a 60/50 HZ switch on the console.

But can this applied to all games, or just the pal optimized games?

If it can be applied to all  pal versions of the game, then i need to aim for  Us releases only because I do not want to mod my system

[bultje112]

get a pal saturn for the pal optimized games and a japanese saturn for the rest. that's what I did.

[assman]

PAL games that aren't optimized should be fine, but the main thing to watch out for would be the games that are optimized for 50 Hz, since they'll run too fast at 60 Hz. The small handful of game ISOs I have that are labeled as PAL (Keio Flying Squadron 2, Mega Man X3, Shinobi X, etc.) have worked without issue on my US Saturn.

That said, games are still region locked, so you will need something like an Action Replay cart to get around that (any Saturn owner should have one of those anyway).

If you're not aware of it, here's a comprehensive list of PAL Saturn games and if/how they're optimized: randomisedgaming.tumblr.com/post/146372446412/the-complete-european-sega-saturn-60hz-guide-to

[shaddow085]

Jul 10, 2019 3:54:00 GMT assman said:

PAL games that aren't optimized should be fine, but the main thing to watch out for would be the games that are optimized for 50 Hz, since they'll run too fast at 60 Hz. The small handful of game ISOs I have that are labeled as PAL (Keio Flying Squadron 2, Mega Man X3, Shinobi X, etc.) have worked without issue on my US Saturn.

That said, games are still region locked, so you will need something like an Action Replay cart to get around that (any Saturn owner should have one of those anyway).

If you're not aware of it, here's a comprehensive list of PAL Saturn games and if/how they're optimized: randomisedgaming.tumblr.com/post/146372446412/the-complete-european-sega-saturn-60hz-guide-to

Thanks for the list. That is the best list I have seen so far.  That is the  best list I have seen so far on that Topic. I am aware of the Region lock, that's why I have 2 Action replay carts for quite some time now.


The tip from bultje112 to get a pal Saturn for the pal games seems to be safest bet though. Would be no big deal because the pal Saturn are not that expensive   even when considering the hidden cost with the Rgb Scart cable.

I have scart cable optimised for the japanese Saturn from Retro gaming cables uk already and for my pal console I would have to get pal opimised CSYNC cable. 

[bultje112]

Jul 10, 2019 7:40:15 GMT shaddow085 said:

Jul 10, 2019 3:54:00 GMT assman said:

PAL games that aren't optimized should be fine, but the main thing to watch out for would be the games that are optimized for 50 Hz, since they'll run too fast at 60 Hz. The small handful of game ISOs I have that are labeled as PAL (Keio Flying Squadron 2, Mega Man X3, Shinobi X, etc.) have worked without issue on my US Saturn.

That said, games are still region locked, so you will need something like an Action Replay cart to get around that (any Saturn owner should have one of those anyway).

If you're not aware of it, here's a comprehensive list of PAL Saturn games and if/how they're optimized: randomisedgaming.tumblr.com/post/146372446412/the-complete-european-sega-saturn-60hz-guide-to

Thanks for the list. That is the best list I have seen so far.  That is the  best list I have seen so far on that Topic. I am aware of the Region lock, that's why I have 2 Action replay carts for quite some time now.


The tip from bultje112 to get a pal Saturn for the pal games seems to be safest bet though. Would be no big deal because the pal Saturn are not that expensive   even when considering the hidden cost with the Rgb Scart cable.

I have scart cable optimised for the japanese Saturn from Retro gaming cables uk already and for my pal console I would have to get pal opimised CSYNC cable. 

what I always do is keep the randomised gaming page in my phone and check on games before playing. I know lot's of them from the top of my head now.

[davyk]

Jul 9, 2019 13:27:17 GMT bultje112 said:

get a pal saturn for the pal optimized games and a japanese saturn for the rest. that's what I did.

This.


The games I play on the PAL Saturn are:

Sega Rally
VF2
Nights
Fighters Megamix
Manx TT
Baku Baku
Virtua Cop 1 & 2

I have NTSC copies of Sega Rally, VF2 and Megamix as well as they are cheap to pick up. Nice to have them in the collection for comparison and it's nice to have the English menus so I keep the PAL versions.

I have PAL versions of Athlete Kings, Winter Heat, Digital Pinball, Tempest 2000, Saturn Bomberman, Pro Pinball The Web, Bust a Move 2, Puzzle Fighter Turbo that I play at 60Hz so I have English menus.

[bultje112]

I also really prefer most optimized pal games over the ntsc counterparts. Sega rally is perhaps the best example.

[davyk]

yeah - The controls on PAL Sega Rally feel a bit smoother. They must have been able to spend a lot of time on it. Wonderful example of a PAL version done correctly.

[shaddow085]

I also think that pal optimised games are a really nice thing to have, that's why I want to get into that topic. Found a nice pal saturn already, in a used game store in my city btw. I will check it out tomorrow in person and if I am happy with the condition I will buy it.

[davyk]

Aye. I just can't bring myself to get rid of the PAL games. Just enjoy having them and the console. My PAL game collection now comprises of optimised versions and a handful of unoptimized games that are either hard to get in NTSC or have enough English text to justify keeping them.